A Catholic priest has been removed from duties at a Baltimore-area church after allegedly being caught with his pants down at an adult store.
Police arrested Father Mark Stewart Bullock, an associate pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Towson, on Jan. 16 at Bush River Books & Movies in Abingdon, The Catholic Review reported.
While investigating complaints of indecent exposure, police reportedly found Bullock sitting on a couch with “his pants completely off,” according to the Baltimore Sun.
Police told the Sun Bullock was sitting in a movie theater inside the shop in an area visible to customers. He faces a maximum fine of $1,000 and three years in prison, the paper reported.
Father Joseph Barr, pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, wrote in a letter to parishioners that Bullock would no longer be “permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or present himself in any way as a priest” and the church has opened an investigation to learn more about the incident.
Bullock, a former floral designer, has also been booted from the parish rectory and told to undergo a psychological evaluation, according to the Catholic Review.
“I realize that this information may be shocking and painful for you to hear, which I sincerely regret,” Barr wrote parishioners.
